Mail-delivering device.



M. K. WALKER.

MAIL DELIVERING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED AUGJS. 1915.

L15&MQ,. Patented 001;. 26, 1915.

Witnesses secured to a transverse shaft 9.

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MILTON K. WALKER, OF RICHMOND, KENTUCKY.

MAIL-DELIVERING- DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented @ct. 28, 1915.

Application filed August 13, 1915. Serial No. 45,434.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, MILTON K. WALKER, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Madison and State of Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Mail-Delivering Device, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for delivering mail, the same being especiallydesigned for use in rural districts where mail boxes are usually located considerable distances from residences.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide a mail box having mechanism combined therewith whereby the same can be caused to travel along a supporting cable so as to convey the mail between two points as, for example, a residence and a road whereby mail can be placed in the box and directed to a point where it can be taken readily by the rural mail carrier, and whereby the carrier can place the mail in the box or holderand forward it to the addressee.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings the preferred form of the invention has been shown.

In said drawings :Figure 1 is a side elevation of the carrier constituting the present invention. Fig. 2 is a section on line AB' Fig. 1. Fig. 2.

Referring to the figures by characters of reference 1 designates a casing of any suitable construction and the lower portion of this casing is provided with a mail receiving compartment 2 which may be provided with a movable closure 3 located at any point desired.

A slot 4 is formed in each side of the casing 1 and arranged within the casing and close to the slot are grooved wheels 5. These wheels are secured to a shaft 6 which is journaled in the casing, this shaft having a gear 7 constantly in mesh with a larger gear 8 Another smaller gear 10 is secured to said shaft 9 and constantly meshes with a gear 11 secured Fig. 3 is a section on line CD to a transverse shaft 12. A spring 13 is wound about the shaft 12 and is secured at one end to-said shaft and at its other end to the casing 1. A ratchet wheel 14 is secured to shaft 12 and is normally engaged by a pawl 15 adapted to be actuated by a cord 16 or in any other suitable manner.

It will be understood that whenever it is deslred to use the structure herein described, the mail to be delivered is placed in the compartment 2, after which the spring 13 is wound by rotating shaft 12 by means of a crank 17 or the like. Pawl 15 will prevent the spring from unwinding until it is desired to start the carrier.

After the spring has been wound the carrier is placed under a supporting cable 18 extending to the point of delivery, this cable being received within one of the slots 4 so that one of the wheels 5 will rest upon the cable. As soon as the parts have been positioned in this manner the cord 16 is pulled so as to disengage the pawl 15 and swing it to a position where it will not engage the ratchet wheel 14. Consequently spring 13 will be free to unwind and motion will be transmitted therefrom through the several gears to the wheels 5 with theresult that the carrier will thus travel along the cable 18 to the point of delivery. If desired,

any suitable means may be provided for throwing the pawl 15 back into engagement with thera-tchet wheel 14 when the carrier reaches one limit of its movement. For example, a tripping finger 19 can be extended from the end pole 20 to which cable 18 is secured, this finger being so located that when the carrier reaches a position close to the pole 20, the finger will strike the upstanding pawl 15 and throw it out of the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1 so that it will swing past its dead center and drop into engagement with the ratchet wheel 14, thus preventing further unwinding of the spring 13. The carrier can then be taken off of the cable, reversed, replaced upon the cable, and, by disengaging the pawl 15 from ratchet wheel 14, caused to return to the place from whence it came. It is to be understood that during the movement of the carrier in one direction one of the wheels 5 will engage the. cable, whereas after the carrier has been turned around for movement in the opposite direction the other wheel will engage the cable.

In view of the fact that the supporting wire or cable 18 should be substantially topther'eof is a hooked extension 25 adapthorizontal, it will be obvious that where the same is erected above an inclined surface,

the distance between. one end of the"cable and the ground may be so great that some means must be provided to raise a-nd l'ower the carrier. One means for this purpose has been'shown-in Figs. 1 and 2. It willbe seen that the post located at that end of the cable high above the ground has an arm 21 from which is suspended a sheave 22; I Onthis sheave mounted an endless rope -23 or the like hav ng a block or enlargement Q-Lt. Arranged on one side of the carrier near the ed, when the carrier. arrives closeto post 20, to straddle one side. of the rope 23.-- Thus it will be seen that by pulling downwardly on one side of the rope so as to elevate the enlargement 24, said enlargement will be brought against the hooked extension 25 and the carrier 1 will be lifted off ,of the cable 18. By then reversingthe opera'tionpf the rope 23 the carrier can be lowered. By reversing .thef foregoing, operation the carrier can be elevated and'placed, on the cable 18.

What is Claimed is 1. A carrierfo'r mail and the like, includ ing"a casing having a cable receiving slot ineach side, a grooved wheel projecting into each slot,a sjgiringmotorwithi-n thecasing for rotating both wl eels constantly; in the same direction, a compartment within thecasing for receiving articles to be: transpaaamans for win ing the motor, and means for holding said motor inactive, said casing.being-reversible to position either grooved wheel uponasupporting cable. 2. Ac arrier for mail and the like, includ ing a casing having a cable receiving slot, a

grooved ,wheel adapted to engage a. cable withiii the slot and support thecasing, a

spring motor within the casingfor rotating the wheel, a compartment within the casing for receiving articles to be transported,

means forwvindiiig the motor, pawl and ratchetmechanism for holding the motor inactive, means fo'i' releasing the pawl from the ratchet, said pawl being held by gravity in disengaged position, and means adjacent one end of the path of movement of said casing for engaging the disengaged pawl to shift it into engagement with the ratchet.

3. A carrier-for mail and the like, including a casing having slots in the sides thereof, grooved wheels mounted for rotation in the easin for en a in cables extendin into 23 b b- D O the respective slots, a spring motor in the casing for actuat ng the wheels in one (l1 rection, an article receiving compartment in the casing, means for holding the motor inactive, said means including a ratchet wheel and a pawl, means for shift ng the pawl to inactive position, said pawl being "maintained in inactive position by gravity.

4. A carrier for mail and ,the like, including a casing having slots in the sides thereof,

grooved wheels mounted for rotation in the casing for engaging cables extending into the respective slots, a spring motor in the casing for actuating the wheels in one direcporting cable.

In'testimony that Iclaim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto afiixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses MILTON K. WALKER.

WVitnesses:

-J. WLCROOKE,

S. P. DEATHWAGE.

' copies of this patent inay he obtaineti for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of iatente Washington, ID. 0;" 

